Costa Cruises issued a press release on the 24th January 2012 to clarify the issue of discounts and promotional offers for passengers who were on board Costa Concordia on Friday the 13th January 2012.
Herein the company denies that it has ever offered a discount on future cruises to any of these passengers. The company says that any such information that was published in the press was unfounded. If you were one of the passengers involved, please, therefore, make a mental note that you will be expected to pay the full price next time you buy a cruise on aboard a Costa ship. You will, however, receive a refund for the cruise and what Costa calls “all material expenses relating to it.” Furthermore, the company says it welcomes discussions with passengers who were on board the Concordia and consumer protection associations and tourism sector trade associations to “determine indemnity for the hardship earned.” Costa goes on to say that it is driven and guided by values of fairness and a sense of ethics. Because of this, the company has decided to allow anyone who has already booked a cruise to cancel and get a full refund before the 7th February 2012. All travel agents who work with Costa Cruises have already been informed of this arrangement. The company also says that it has cancelled all advertising initiatives for the time being out of respect for what happened. Only one postal promotion could not be stopped in time because it was already sent at the end of December.